Page 5 of An Unending Claim

I didn’t pay much attention to Lincoln, my mind still raw from the horrific memories that had cut through me before this. And now…

“We haven’t found a fragment this large before,” Lincoln said as he turned the jagged metal around, studying it from different angles. “I think, with the others I have back at the lab, I might be able to figure out what the symbol is. I’m sure it’s an animal.” I glanced at him, my interest slightly piqued. “I don’t think it’s a wolf, though.” He closed his eyes as if seeing all of the other pieces and putting the puzzle together in his head. “No, I think this is part of three long whiskers. I’ll bet the diamond shapes on a few of them are teeth….”

Lincoln’s voice faded out as all the blood drained from my face. My panther hissed and flexed her claws. An animal made of small shapes, diamonds for the teeth, long whiskers… it sounded like a symbol I’d seen many times… a jaguar.Fuck.If my suspicions were correct, I’d be in an impossible situation. It would also open a deep, long-buried wound.

The ground began shaking as the heavy thump of paws slamming into the ground grew louder and closer, breaking me out of my trance. Something odd happened then. The birthmark shaped like a panther’s paw on my shoulder began to tingle. Somehow, I knew it was an indication that Nathan would be here soon. The thought of him learning about the symbol and how it related to me caused terror to whip through me. I’d promised to be honest, but in truth, I didn’t actually know if the etching on the bullets was the head of a jaguar. Saying something now would only cause friction, and potentially get my ass kicked to the curb–something that could be avoided if the etching turned out to be something else. Better to wait until Lincoln had confirmation.

Four more wolves burst through the trees. The largest of the group, a black male with silver eyes, headed straight for me. Nathan’s animal scanned my body and growled at the sight of my foot before brushing his nose against my hand. He eyed Sabrina for a moment, then backed up a few steps and turned around to face Ephraim, who hadn’t moved a single inch.

The wolf made another low and menacing sound that sent a shiver down my spine. Nathan’s wolf could put the fear of God into people when he wanted to. And right now, it was directed at Ephraim. I almost felt sorry for him.

Nathan’s wolf bared his teeth, continuing the deep, threatening rumble, and I wondered for a moment if he might actually take a chunk out of the kneeling enforcer. I almost called out to him, but before I could, his fur receded and his bones began to pop. His muscles rearranged and realigned until a giant of a man stood before us, radiating with power.

Nathan’s silver eyes snapped with unleashed fury and his firm, square jaw was clenched. He pushed his long, brown-blond hair away from his face as he stood, then rubbed a hand over his trimmed, full beard as he stared ominously at his enforcer.

“I warned you,” Nathan said, his voice resembling the growl of his wolf. “Do you know how many times I’ve done that since I became Alpha? And to force me to use it on you….” He shook his head.

I was a little shocked at myself for being so calm when I realized Nathan was using the hive mind to control Ephraim. But truthfully, this was nothing like the times my grandfather had abused the power. Ephraim had been threatening me, and fear could push anyone to react in a way that would give them control over a chaotic situation. Besides, in addition to Nathan’s fury, I felt his sadness and sense of betrayal. And in the time I’d been at Silver Lake, I’d come to see that the Alpha respected the privacy of his packmate’s minds unless it was a situation where it couldn’t be helped. I knew Nathan would never control someone unless it was for the protection of another person.

Ephraim unfroze and tilted his head to the side, baring his neck.

“I should do it,” Nathan gritted through a clenched jaw as he took a single step forward. “Rip your throat out for what you were thinking.”

The enforcer’s shoulders drooped a little more, and he nodded his head without moving it from its submissive angle.

“But I’m not going to act in a moment when my anger will color my choices. So get your ass home and stay there. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to deal with you.” Nathan gestured to Asher and Jase, who shifted before trotting over to Ephraim. I assumed they were Ephraim’s escort to ensure he did as instructed.

Ephraim’s eyes were filled with misery as he climbed to his feet. He hadn’t gone far when Nathan called his name again, causing him to stop and turn to face his Alpha.

“Until I make a decision, I’m stripping you of your position as an enforcer.”

Nathan’s expression was like granite, devoid of anything discernible, even his fury. If I hadn’t been able to feel the anger and the edge of despair in him, I would have thought he had become an emotionless robot. Nevertheless, I was still taken aback. This was the Nathan who went into battle. The one who, however justified, killed without hesitation or crisis of conscience.

The difference in this situation—a potentially catastrophic difference—was that it involved his mate and cub. Nathan wasn’t known for having the best patience and rational thinking when it came to us. Honestly, Ephraim was lucky to be walking out of here with his throat intact.

The devastation on Ephraim’s face gave me a pang of sympathy for the former enforcer. I didn’t have the slightest clue what was causing his misery, but it had been easy to see that his position as an enforcer had given him a way to escape it from time to time.

Despite his evident anguish, he put his shoulders back and nodded. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for reacting as I did.”

Nathan was silent for a few moments, and I was surprised when the hand at his side ran through my hair. “That’s the only reason you’re still breathing, Ephraim. And you will apologize to your Alpha female for your attitude, but not right now. I need time to cool off before you speak to my mate.”

CHAPTERTHREE

NATHAN

When we’d heard the first shot, I’d shuffled through the minds of my enforcers, but all of them were running through the woods and had no more idea of what had happened than I did. However, Sabrina and Lincoln were likely to reach the location of the shot faster than I would. It wasn’t until the second shot that I remembered Allison mentioning calling Ephraim from perimeter duty to search for Peyton. He might reach her first, so I stepped into his mind, seeing through his eyes, and picking up his thoughts.

I hadn’t been prepared for the level of hostility he was feeling, and when I realized it was directed at Peyton, I almost lost my shit. Then he started spewing accusations, and when he called her a bitch, I roared with fury inside his head. Pain lanced through him, and I nearly smiled in satisfaction because I felt it was what he deserved. Suddenly, the wolf’s head on my biceps began to tingle–an odd sensation I’d never felt before.

I was distracted from it when Ephraim spoke to her again, this time in a biting tone that I did not appreciate being directed at my mate.

Back the fuck off, Ephraim, I mentally shouted.

When he went to speak again, I saw flashes of the thoughts he’d been trying to hide. Some of them were as tame as having her thrown in jail, but having her shot like Geoff nearly decimated my restraint. I pulsed with Alpha vibes in his mind, a warning to behave or I would make him.

To my shock, Ephraim disobeyed my order and said something else. He thought about moving closer so he could subdue her, and my wolf and I both growled with deadly intent. He needed to stop, or I would most likely rip his throat out when I arrived.Stay where you are and keep your mouth shut, I barked. He actually considered defying me for a moment, and I responded in a steel tone.

Don’t make me force you, Ephraim. You know I don’t want to exact that kind of control over you, but if you say one more word or take a single step toward my mate, I will.

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